Minimum Energy for Spacecraft Escape · CAP 2009 #13
Physics · mechanics
Problem
A spacecraft of mass m orbits a planet of mass M in a circular orbit of radius R. What is the minimum energy required to send this spacecraft to a distant point in space where the gravitational force of the planet on the spacecraft is negligible?
(a) GmM/(4R)
(b) GmM/R
(c) GmM/(2R)
(d) GmM/(3R)
(e) 2GmM/(5R)